With the new 417 ES Moby Dick 39 mm, Hanhart introduces the white-dial version of its legendary 417 ES chronograph in its historically correct diameter for the first time.
For years, collectors have been asking. Now Hanhart delivers. This is not a reinterpretation for trend-driven tastes, but a faithful revival of one of the rarest and most intriguing executions from the 1950s — a chronograph that was never meant to be military issue, but rather a purpose-built civilian instrument.
The defining visual signature is the white dial paired with thermally blued hands, whose deep blue tone shifts dramatically with the light — a detail prized by vintage collectors and executed here with modern precision. An anti-magnetic inner core protects the movement from external interference, while 10 ATM water resistance ensures the watch is not merely a historical reference, but a genuinely wearable chronograph for everyday use.
In place of Hanhart’s classic red bezel marker, the Moby Dick features an ivory-coloured Super-LumiNova® insert, carefully matched to the dial printing and hand inlays. The result is a chronograph with exceptional legibility and a distinctly warm, period-correct aesthetic.
The nickname “Moby Dick” originates not from Hanhart’s archives, but from the collector community itself.
While the historic 417 ES is predominantly known with a black dial, a very small number of examples from the 1950s were produced with a white dial and blued hands. These watches stood apart immediately — visually lighter, more legible, and clearly intended for use beyond standardised military specifications.
Because of their scarcity and unmistakable appearance, collectors began referring to these white-dial 417s as “Moby Dick,” a nod to Herman Melville’s white whale and a fitting metaphor for a watch rarely seen and even more rarely obtained. The name was never an official model designation at the time, but rather a term that evolved organically within the international collecting scene — one that Hanhart has since consciously adopted.
Historically, the 417 ES was used across various professional fields requiring precise time measurement. White-dial executions were particularly suited to civil aviation, medical use, and technical professions, where clarity and legibility outweighed military standardisation. In that sense, the Moby Dick represents the pure civilian counterpart to a tool watch icon — functional, utilitarian, and free of formal service constraints.
The Moby Dick 39 mm is, in many respects, a controlled exercise in restraint. The proportions, layout, typography, and bi-compax configuration remain firmly rooted in the early 417 ES, while modern manufacturing elevates the execution.
The case features sharply defined, high-gloss polished bevels that contrast cleanly with the satin-finished lugs and case flanks. The signature Hanhart fluted bezel rotates smoothly in both directions, now fitted with the ivory Super-LumiNova® insert instead of the traditional red marker — a subtle but defining departure.
Inside the screw-down stainless steel case back beats the hand-wound Sellita SW510 chronograph caliber, Swiss Made, with hacking seconds and a power reserve of up to 58 hours. While vintage originals were never designed with modern robustness in mind, this reissue clearly is: 10 bar water resistance and contemporary tolerances make it a chronograph meant to be worn, not stored.
A soft-iron inner cage provides effective magnetic shielding, giving the watch resistance of up to 16,000 A/m — a technical detail that reinforces the Moby Dick’s identity as a true instrument watch, not a nostalgic showpiece.
For collectors, the appeal is obvious with a historically accurate diameter, a legitimately rare reference point, and a design that has always existed slightly outside the mainstream narrative of military chronographs. The white whale has surfaced — and this time, it’s not a myth.
Technical Specifications:
CASE
Dimensions
Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 13.60 mm (11.55 mm without crystal)
Lug-to-lug: 46 mm
Material
Satin-finished and polished stainless steel
Anti-magnetic inner case up to 16,000 A/m
Bezel
Fluted stainless steel bezel, bi-directional, continuously rotating
Ivory-coloured marking with Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium GL
Case Back
Screw-down stainless steel case back
Individual serial number
Crown
Crown with historical Hanhart “h”
Crystal
Convex sapphire crystal with internal anti-reflective coating
High-domed crystal in the style of the historical model
Water Resistance and Shock Protection
Water-resistant up to 10 bar / 10 ATM according to DIN 8310
Shock-protected with special Hanhart shock protection system
DIAL AND HANDS
White dial
Ivory-coloured Arabic numerals with Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium GL
Hands with Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium GL
Historical Hanhart logo
STRAP
Calfskin leather strap with white stitching
Stainless steel pin buckle
Alternatively available with stainless steel bracelet and folding clasp
Lug width: 20 mm
PRICE
EUR €2,290.00 incl. 19% VAT on leather strap
EUR €2,490.00 incl. 19% VAT on stainless steel bracelet
MOVEMENT
Hand-wound movement
Rate accuracy
Hanhart regulation: 0 to +8 seconds per day
Average across all positions
Functions
Small seconds
30-minute counter
Central chronograph seconds
Hacking seconds
Base caliber
Sellita SW510 M
Frequency
28,800 A/h (4 Hz)
Jewels
23
Power reserve
At least 58 hours
For more information please visit Hanhart